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Awesome website, provides great insight

by Rich
(Lafayette, IN)

I've been laid off from my machinist job for 8 months now & have been considering getting into trucking. Hervy, I got more information from your website in 30 minutes than in all of my other internet investigations combined! Don't know if I'll pull the trigger on this or not, the wife isn't real cracked about it and this is a joint decision. But still, MAN, What an awesome website and a fantastic vision you have with this!!!!! I really appreciate your efforts.

Thanks,
Rich

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Nov 17, 2009
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Part 2
by: Hervy

Well I would say I have rambled on enough and I have to go to work.

Good luck on which every direction you decide and please don't let our warning about age discourage you, you may very well get a trucking job, I am saying like Jimmy, If it's something you want to do fine but the stability thing is not necessarily true for anyone that is not what the employer feels is to their best interest.

This means that even getting the job trucking you should have other things developing just in case it doesn't work the way you would have expected it to work out during different times.

I started back to rambling again didn't I! LOL

Later Rich,
Good Luck

Nov 17, 2009
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I am honored to be here
by: Hervy

Wow, thanks Rich. The website it becoming exactly what I hoped it would except I wish that I had more time to spend (Well i bring some of that on myself)

The people that I met over the road was also why I wanted to build a site like this so hoping that those people would meet each other and hopefully stay in touch and also provide their knowledge to others.

That's exactly what's happening so I owe a huge amount of thanks to Jimmy and Jennifer, people like Keith, Nick, Angie, everyone that plays apart here all the visitors that take the time to not only read but give feedback and a glimpse at your situation and why your here.

So thanks to you too Rich. People will read what you've written and you will spark thoughts they too should consider (planning, stability, research, etc)

Everyone gave you good advice, I suppose the most unwelcome but true would be Jimmy's. He's right that now with so many people jumping in trucking and less freight you want to make sure you get a pre hire contract before you pay for trucking school.

Now one of the other things that I want to suggest is that have that much wisdom behind you and being involved in things for such a long period of time. You may be able to create income for yourself if you find that you can't get a trucking job.

As a machinist for that long is there skills or techniques involved that you could teach others?
Can you combine other skills that you have with the knowledge from being a machinist to create opportunity like maybe welding. (I don't know, not too familiar with machinist, LOL)

What about the type of work that your wife does, she fill a void with her knowledge.

Even singing on the choir for that long has taught you things that people with half your time in and especially newcomers to singing on the choir can use.

If you do get into trucking you can still develop the types of ideas I mentioned so that after you year I you can't find a local job you may still be in the position to leave the big road.

That is also one of the things that I want to teach drivers, is how not to put all their eggs in the rolling diesel basket because some drivers are out here and don't want to be and that's not good.

But if a driver is developing his ideas and working on some other business venture while he is on the road that he would be enslaved to the road no longer than he wants to be out here.

Oct 25, 2009
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Rich thinks it through.
by: Jimmy

2 things to consider. Don't plan on trucking being your saving grace. I've seen so many folks get into trucking and are worse off than before. And your age is a factor.

The truth is YOU may feel like a young whippersnapper, but, in reality, you're not really that marketable.

Not trying to discourage you, just making you more aware of reality.

Jimmy

Oct 21, 2009
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Aide in helping your wife ;) if you become a trucker
by: Jennifer S

Hi Rich,

Glad you found us ;) Perhaps if your wife joined us wives on our facebook account, she could get to know some drivers wives, and feel more comfortable. This could also give her some information from the inside ;)For us this is real time support, and friendship. It helps so much to have friends that you can talk to about what you are feeling, how you are feeling, and more importantly WHEN you are feeling it!

Here are our addresses (btw, the drivers are joining us too- and your welcome to)

LAAT Drivers Wives: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/Truckers.Wives?ref=nf

Support Group:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Truck-Drivers-Wife-Support-Group/153967824659?ref=nf

She is more than welcome to read the "advice for you" on here -- you as well, There is great advice on how to make this work- It takes JUST as much from our driver, as it does from the wife.

Jennifer

Oct 21, 2009
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Thanks Angie for the advice about trucking and marriage
by: Rich

Angie, I appreciate your input and perspective I sincerely thank you for your concern.

For most of our married life (I just turned 61) we have had a very stable life structure. Most of my jobs were where I worked from 7-3:30 or 8-4:30 depending on the company. My wife has been with her company for almost 40 years. I sing in my church choir and have sung in church choirs for close to 30 years. And one of our kids & her family live next door to us.

We almost reek of stability (ha). So this potential job/situation change will be one of extremely careful consideration. It has been born solely out of my frustration in not being able to find a job as a machinist (or anything else).

I look forward to steady, gainful employment, only. Regarding Trucking, if that's where I go, my plan has always been to put in no more than one year OTR & then seek local employment so that I can regain the stability that I feel I've lost even now.

Oct 21, 2009
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Be sure about becoming a trucker!
by: Anonymous

You are right, this has to be a joint decision.
My husband has driven for about 25 yrs. I came home from school one night and he informed me that he was going to truck driving school. I wasn't crazy about it at all.

I have been a faithful wife all these years, raise our kids, moved around, handled all the responsibilities at home and did a damn good job of it.

Unless your wife has a good support group, a job, or family and good friends, do not put her through it.

It gets very lonely at home with out your spouse. Never knowing when he will be home. People do not always want to include you in things, it's strange I know. I thought people would be more thoughtful. Women are guarded around their spouses if you are around, I guess they see you as a threat because you are alone and lonely and well you can guess the rest.

Maybe you two can make an agreement that you do it as a trial for at least a year to rack up miles and then see what the job market looks like if she feels like she can't handle it.

If she is raising kids it will not be easy I tell you this right now. Just make sure you keep the lines of communication open and spend quality time together when you are at home.

God bless you, and seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you.

Angie

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